A combine is a mobile farm machine that cuts agricultural crops from a field. As the combine cuts the crops, the combine further threshes the crop cuttings, thereby separating grain from chaff and straw as the combine moves through the field. A typical combine includes a header that initially cuts the crops, which are subsequently moved up a feeder to a transition cone and into a rotor. At the rotor, the crop cuttings are threshed and separated from chaff and straw. The chaff and straw are released out the back of the combine and put back onto the field. The separated grain is moved through a cleaning system and put into a grain tank, to be unloaded into one or more vehicles and hauled away.
A combine can include a transition cone, positioned downstream from the header. The transition cone is configured to direct the crop cuttings toward the rotor. In many instances, the transition cone is a funnel-shaped structure that is located near the front portion of the rotor. As the crop cuttings move through the combine, the transition cone is frequently subjected to wear as the crop cuttings move across the inner surface of the transition cone and are moved to the rotor.
It would be advantageous if transition cones could be improved to make them more resistant to wear.